Sub-standard pitches at England's preferred training base at Rustenburg are clouding their World Cup preparations. But the normally austere Fabio Capello was otherwise enraptured as he awaited today's group stage draw. "It's starting, yes. For me it's the first time I've breathed this atmosphere of the World Cup, the sensation," he said. "I can taste it. The airport, the people, the Fifa World Cup, Bafana Bafana, it's exciting, yes."

In the north of the country, though, complications loom as the Football Association exerts pressure on the Royal Bafokeng resort to repair their newly-laid pitches. Capello wants the surfaces at the training ground to reflect the pitches for England's World Cup games.

"The hotel is really good. The facilities are really, really good, but the problem is the pitches," said Capello, who spent four hours at the facility on Wednesday. "The pitches are not great. But we have time. We found a solution for Wembley, we will find a solution with this. I will go back in February when we have a Fifa meeting here and check it. It's possible we'll decide before. We have another option."

A spokesperson for the Bafokeng Sports Campus said: "The building of the hotel is nearing completion – large sections are ready – it is corresponding to the project plans and going to schedule. Moreover the fields are looking good, the roots of the grass are settled, so that's all ready. We have no concerns about the current state of readiness or whether we'll have everything ready in time, and the reports we've had from Fifa have been very positive."

Today England, one of the eight seeds in Pot One, will learn their three first-round opponents. "It will be a great test, the hardest test of me as a manager, yes," said Capello, who warned that England need more experience of African opposition.

"I think about the Africans. I saw the Ivory Coast and they are a very strong team – I saw them play against Germany. I think this will be one of the most important World Cups for the African teams and I believe one of these countries will get to the last four. A player like [Didier] Drogba is important. He's one example. A player who plays a lot of games will not be fresh and some players make the difference."

Capello warmed to this theme, not least because England have yet to face opposition from the host continent during his 21 games in charge. Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria are all potential group-stage rivals. "African football, it's really fast," Capello said. "The spirit of the team is to go forward. Sometimes you have some problems when you have to defend, but all the players are really good technically, and it's not easy to play against."

The England coach was more animated than at any time in his two years in charge. "I've worked for this. It's my job. Yes – all my life," he said. "I want to reach the final. I have big confidence in my team, always. We've played against the best teams in the world. I know the value of the opponents, I know the value of my team. It's my first World Cup. I hope it's not the last.

"We will wait for the draw to decide on friendlies. My idea is to play against one African team. We played Europeans and South Americans but we've missed Africans." Capello also backed Rio Ferdinand to return from injury. "An Italian example – [Alessandro] Nesta was injured for one year, now he's the best, and people are saying please come back into the national team. I cannot say if [Ferdinand] will be fit or not but I hope."

Italy's coach, Marcello Lippi, said: "I met Fabio in the hotel when I arrived and we sat down and had a beer together. We agreed that we deserved to be here and that the only shame was that the third great Italian coach, Giovanni [Trapattoni, the Republic of Ireland manager], is not in South Africa. Both of us would like to meet again, just before the final on 11 July."